Heard any good music lately? Looking for some music to add to your playlist? Join our open thread and share away!
My music playlist is short because I’m so picky about music. And then I find a song I like, I play it five times, and I’m over it. I’ve used Apple’s Genius a few times to find songs but I usually don’t have much luck. So I really want to hear what you all are listening to! If you don’t have any good music to share, you can always add your favorite puns, palindromes (Dr. Awkward), or something else that is on your mind today.
Below, I’m sharing the top three songs that I can’t get out of my head this week.
My music taste includes 80’s synth (or new wave), electronic, old country music, blue grass, trip hop, classical, french/german rap, and classic hip hop. So in a word, eclectic.
Scuba Z – The Vanishing American Family
I heard this song from the 2006 film Red Road (which honestly was one of those films that I watched because I couldn’t find anything that great on TV). It got decent reviews, but smack in the middle was this song (and an awkward love scene). Listen to this song if you need a minute to relax during a stressful day.
Loretta Lynn – Fist City
I was hooked on Loretta Lynn from the first time I watched Coal Miner’s Daughter (one of the few films I enjoy rewatching). In the film, she writes this song after catching her husband with another woman. I like her play on words and the twanginess of older country music. Plus, this song is an excellent example of a country song that isn’t depressing (no dogs die, no Jesus, no trucks) and a good retort to people who make fun of how lame country music is. Listen to this song when you feel like kicking some ass (and sing along really loudly when you’re in the car).
Yacht – Second Summer
I found Yacht last year while listening to college radio (the low end of the dial has the best songs). It’s best not to think too hard about the lyrics, just enjoy the electronic pop and vocals. Also, this music video is one of my favorites (although it cuts off the original song by two minutes). Listen to this song when you feel like dancing around the room by yourself instead of doing homework.
What’s your music taste this month? Please share it in the comments!
In our “other” lives we are mountain dulcimer players. We don’t play traditional but anything and everything from Renaissance to Blue Grass to Celtic to Rock. We’ve worked many folk festivals and had the privilege of meeting many great musicians.
By far, our favorite is the late David Schnaufer. One of the best YouTubes out there is “Fishers Hornpipe” when he was a member of the Cactus Brothers. They take a traditional Celtic hornpipe and go to town (ok go to a barn dance) with it. Look it up.
I’ve only started to get into Blue Grass, so my tastes are more mainstream. The only person I can name is Earl Scruggs, but I really enjoy whatever he’s done. Also, anything with a good beat from a scratchy record!
Mary, we saw Earl in person several years ago when he was playing with the Chieftains on their “Down The Old Plank Road” tour. My dulcimer teacher, who is also a Celtic harpist, was invited to play with them and her sound check was playing with Earl on “Foggy Mountain Breakdown”. She was ecstatic.
I’m somewhat eclectic, though nothing really stands out.
Mostly, it’s classical instrumental music that appeals to me.
A favorite I discovered some years ago was, perhaps appropiately enough, “The Planets”, by Holtz.
I never grow tired of it. :)
I’ll have to give that a listen. I’m always up for the Nutcracker Suite (good for doing homework) or some Beethoven. Although I am bad at naming his works that I like, but one that stands out is Concerto No. 5.
Another place to spread the Gospel of The Tallest Man on Earth…. Bwahahaaha!
http://youtu.be/P8Twcp46kT4 (sorry forgot to link)
I’ve been in a Kate Bush mood lately. I <3 her.
http://youtu.be/h1DDndY0FLI
I've also been listening to a lot of Sarah Slean, an indie Canadian singer-songwriter.
http://youtu.be/7DxeCTm5IFg
I still like Kate Bush quite a bit, but sometimes her lyrics annoy the skeptic in me.
I don’t tend to get much bothered by religious or spiritual song lyrics. For example, i adore Sufjan Stevens, but a lot of his music has Christian and spiritual lyrics in it. But the music’s just so damn good!
I’m using Songza to flash back to the 90s. But I’m really enjoying Serena Ryder. Stompa is her main single but the album is fantastic. And you can’t help tapping a toe to this:
http://www.youtube.com/watchv=Vz7jCY1cpHk&sns=em
The ones I keep coming back to recently are Sleeper Agent (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUF2RDHDtzM) and Au Revoir Simone (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MESdwdFY4iQ).
Those songs make me want to be 22 again. (Not that I was that cool at that age.)
Under the category of “shameless self-promotion” here is my main website of original songs:
http://www.reverbnation.com/gaylemyrna
Most of my stuff is pretty non-commercial and introspective. Check out “Lonely Travelers” for my secular view.
Thanks and enjoy!
I’m with Dave on KB. Earl Skruggs is awesome. I love the eclectic mix on this thread.
There’s always Agalloch’s “In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion” from their album The Mantle.
This is a German Psycho-Billy band called Mad Sin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw-6LMWftaA
Hear is one more, this is a Finnish Viking metal band called Ensiferum. I would put more but I would have like 20 links so this’ll do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2WqQY_xSSM
In the past year I have gotten into Leonard Cohen again. And then I found out he was going to play at a beautiful venue in our area. I went online the morning the tix went on sale and the cheapest one was over $200 each. Is this standard for concerts these days??? I obviously have not gone to a concert in a long time, but I wasn’t expecting this, especially for someone who is not current. Or maybe they think all his fans are so old that they have extra money :)
We also all love Hank Williams in our house. Even my 6-year-old thinks he is the best.
I love Hank Williams! Have you heard the Mother’s Best Flour collection?
Yes, absolutely brilliant!
I just discovered the “All Songs Considered” podcast from NPR. The weekly shows are about an hour long and it exposes me to all kinds of crazy new music that I would never hear otherwise! Example: in the latest episode, they played a Tom Waits and Keith Richards duet of Shenandoah, followed by some European house music. I love it! Just about all the episodes have the same level of eclectic mix.
My favorite song at the moment is “Laundry Room” by the Avett Brothers. Great folky/bluegrassy pop (definitely *not* country! think Mumford and Sons but much, much better and less overwrought) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abQRt6p8T7g
I definitely need to add that podcast to my list. Thanks for reminding me!
I love solid vocal harmony, especially a capella. So this weekend we have listened to ABBA, southern gospel quartets, BYU’s Vocal Point, and some Beatles.
My current favorite group is Pentatonix, winners of last year’s Sing Off, on NBC. Here they are covering Nicki Minaj.
I’m quite eclectic as well, although I seem to “phase” through different genres. As I’m very close to turning 60 and feeling rather nostalgic, I’ve been currently listening to chorale music sung by the Roger Wagner Chorale; Vaughn Williams Mass in G Minor and Bach’s Cantata No.4 (unfortunately out of print for some time. Just have a fairly good vinyl disc (found on E-bay) that I converted to mp3. Back in the ’70’s when I was a Catholic youth, I was in the church choir (had a really shitty voice too…rumbling around in the baritone section…don’t know why they kept me) our director at the time, sang in the L.A. Master Chorale and got me into one of their rehearsals so I could take candid photos of the maestro for a school project. I can’t tell you what an incredible feeling it was to be among a virtual sea of professional voices; absolutely stunning!
Other faves:
Kate and Anna McGarrigle- “Heartbeats Accelerating”
Eileen Ivers- “Crossing the Bridge” (Celtic fiddle)
Penguin Cafe Orchestra- “Preludes, Airs and Yodels”
Bela Fleck- “Flight of the Cosmic Hippo” His older recordings are great bluegrass.
My middle names are Loretta and Lynn (Loretta for my mother’s best friend, Lynn for St. Linus), so I’ve got “Loretta Lynn” right there in my name. Fortunately, I like Ms. Lynn very much.
Her collaborations with Jack White are some of the best things to have ever happened in music:?
http://youtu.be/Fy-RejfSZlk
I am a little obsessed with Macklemore at the moment. Perhaps you’ve all heard “Same Love” and “Thrift Shop”. But, really, Wing$ is my favorite:
http://youtu.be/gAg3uMlNyHA
I’m also excited about the new Queens of the Stone Age that will be out later this year – Dave Grohl will be back on drums! I hope it rocks.
And I listen to way too much terrible new-pop-country on the radio (in the car), I have to be honest. It’s easy to sing along to!
Two awesome but little known bands: Cloud Cult and Bastard Fairies.
Starters: Cloud Cult – Pretty Voice, Please Remain Calm and Take Your Medicine. Bastard Fairies – We’re All Going To Hell and Guns and Dolls